下面我们讨论由参数方程
L : x = x ( t ) , y = y ( t ) , z = z ( t ) , α ⩽ t ⩽ β ( 4 ) L: x=x(t), y=y(t), z=z(t), \alpha \leqslant t \leqslant \beta \quad\quad(4) L:x=x(t),y=y(t),z=z(t),α⩽t⩽β(4)
表示的空间曲线 L L L 上某一点 P 0 ( x 0 , y 0 , z 0 ) P_{0}\left(x_{0}, y_{0}, z_{0}\right) P0(x0,y0,z0)的切线和法平面方程, 这里 x 0 = x ( t 0 ) , y 0 = y ( t 0 ) , z 0 = z ( t 0 ) , α ⩽ t 0 ⩽ β x_{0}=x\left(t_{0}\right), y_{0}=y\left(t_{0}\right), z_{0}=z\left(t_{0}\right), \alpha \leqslant t_{0} \leqslant \beta x0=x(t0),y0=y(t0),z0=z(t0),α⩽t0⩽β, 并假定 (4) 式中的三个函数在 t 0 t_{0} t0 处可导, 且
[ x ′ ( t 0 ) ] 2 + [ y ′ ( t 0 ) ] 2 + [ z ′ ( t 0 ) ] 2 ≠ 0. \left[x^{\prime}\left(t_{0}\right)\right]^{2}+\left[y^{\prime}\left(t_{0}\right)\right]^{2}+\left[z^{\prime}\left(t_{0}\right)\right]^{2} \neq 0 . [x′(t0)]2+[y′(t0)]2+[z′(t0)]2=0.
在曲线 L L L 上点 P 0 P_{0} P0 附近选取一点 P ( x , y , z ) = P ( x 0 + Δ x , y 0 + Δ y , z 0 + Δ z ) P(x, y, z)=P\left(x_{0}+\Delta x, y_{0}+\Delta y, z_{0}+\Delta z\right) P(x,y,z)=P(x0+Δx,y0+Δy,z0+Δz), 于是连接 L L L 上的点 P 0 P_{0} P0 与 P P P 的割线方程为
x − x 0 Δ x = y − y 0 Δ y = z − z 0 Δ z , \cfrac{x-x_{0}}{\Delta x}=\cfrac{y-y_{0}}{\Delta y}=\cfrac{z-z_{0}}{\Delta z}, Δxx−x0=Δyy−y0=Δzz−z0,
其中 Δ x = x ( t 0 + Δ t ) − x ( t 0 ) , Δ y = y ( t 0 + Δ t ) − y ( t 0 ) , Δ z = z ( t 0 + Δ t ) − z ( t 0 ) \Delta x=x\left(t_{0}+\Delta t\right)-x\left(t_{0}\right), \Delta y=y\left(t_{0}+\Delta t\right)-y\left(t_{0}\right), \Delta z=z\left(t_{0}+\Delta t\right)-z\left(t_{0}\right) Δx=x(t0+Δt)−x(t0),Δy=y(t0+Δt)−y(t0),Δz=z(t0+Δt)−z(t0).
以 Δ t \Delta t Δt 除上式各分母, 得
x − x 0 Δ x Δ t = y − y 0 Δ y Δ t = z − z 0 Δ z Δ t . \cfrac{x-x_{0}}{\cfrac{\Delta x}{\Delta t}}=\cfrac{y-y_{0}}{\cfrac{\Delta y}{\Delta t}}=\cfrac{z-z_{0}}{\cfrac{\Delta z}{\Delta t}} . ΔtΔx